THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

8:36 AP.  It was a beautiful, early, early, beautiful morning.  It was only 77 degrees, not as humid as it has been, and very clear and starlit.  Pace was a little better than my usual Monday morning stagger.

7:48 AP.  Ran easy along the river.  It was 78 degrees with a nice south breeze and it felt cool and crisp.  The break from triple digits has been really nice this week!  I felt really, really good.  So, I'm running a half marathon Saturday, first half in a really, really long time.  I have ran more marathons than half marathons I think!  It is a hilly course with a lot of dirt roads, about 600 feet up and about 600 feet down all said and done.  Should be challenging and a good fitness gauge, but it starts at 6:30 am so we may get it all run before temps hit 80.  Hopefully.

Track day.  At 4:30am the storm was brewing and I knew I had limited time so jogged one lap then launched the 3 mile trial.  Total time 19:01, 11 seconds faster than last week.  By lap 8 it had started to sprinkle and the thunder and lightning was getting close.  I considered stopping but decided to be an idiot and run in the storm.  The last two laps it was full blown storming, with some killer wind on the backstretch.  As soon as I was done I bolted to the car for cover and drove to the Y to finish out 4.75 on the treadmill, all at 8:34 pace except the last two quarters I picked up to 7:30 and 6:40 pace to hurry and finish.  Splits for the trial were 1:35, 1:32, 1:33, 1:33, 1:33, 1:35, 1:34, 1:37, 1:37, 1:36, 1:36, 1:35.  I wish I could have seen my watch and known how close I was so I would have had a little incentive to bury that last quarter and get under 19.

8:23 AP.  The alarm went off at 4, but at 69 incredibly wonderfully cool degrees I'm not complaining.  Enjoyed the clear starlit sky, two shooting stars, and a magnificent lightning show well to the south.

8:54 AP.  4:30am.  Ran really easy because I am running a half tomorrow.  I'm not sure how to pace it--it is hilly, a net uphill of like 15 feet or something goofy like that, and runs a lot on gravel roads(that'll feel like home).  I know it's not going to be a persay "fast" course but I want to run a good time and there's really no excuse not to, other than not being fit.  I don't even know what a good time is.  I don't know.  I guess I'll just hope that it stays under 80 degrees and I am feeling "it". If nothing else, it will be a solid hill-training run.

I am pretty happy with this one!  HUGE PR and HUGE breakthrough on a tough course!  Disclaimer, I measured it .08 short per Garmin but a solid sprint would have still put me through under 1:30 so I'm claiming it!  This course rolls and rolls and has a slight net uphill.  Anyways, got there way too early, sat in my car, registered, then warmed up 1 mile at 9:00 with a few very short strides throw in.  It was 98% humidity, but at 65 degrees I felt pretty comfortable.  I felt more than comfortable, I felt good.  It was going to be a good day.  We lined up, prayer, gun, and we're off.  I fell right into position behind the first two guys, third overall, and maintained throughout.  

Miles 1-6:   6:43, 6:56, 6:48, 6:57, 6:41, 6:34.

First 3 miles on gravel, some rolling but nothing major, one big hill in mile 4 moving into town and onto pavement, back onto dirt around mile 6.  I just told myself to run comfortably hard but don't push because I need to save gas for the second half, which is much harder.

7-9:  6:56, 6:56, 6:41

Back on the dirt, a few rollers but still maintaining, still feel good

10-11:  7:12, 7:00

Steep hill, moment of weakness, then recovery

12-13-the end:  6:58, 6:56, then forgot to stop my watch at the end.

This is where the steep little hills just ricochet up and down relentlessly.  My legs were definitely having a harder time getting up but I just kept plugging away and kept the pace suicidal on any opportunity to go down.  Caught up with second place guy, but he mounted a good surge and pulled ahead.  We turned the last corner and the finish line was like right THERE so I sped up but didn't get too much of a sprint.  I saw 1:29 on the clock and was totally pumped.

Never took any fluids or fuel, just ran, avoided looking at my watch.

Talked to the male winner, he ran 1:22 something, has been running a long time and is familiar with local races, he said the course is very though and he thinks my 1:29 is worth 1:25 on a flat course.  I don't think it's quite worth that, maybe 1:27 or so.  Anyways, I have settled my score with this course and I still feel quite good!!!